Kenya set for pilgrimage tourism with Italy

Published on : Thursday, July 16, 2015

Following discussion of possible twining of Anfo Province, the home to the late Sr. Irene Stefani “Nyaatha” and Nyeri County where she was beatified in May this year, Kenya is set for pilgrimage tourism with Italy.

East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Mrs. Phyllis Kandie visited the Mayor of Anfo Mr. Mabellini Gianpietro last month, where the recently beatified “Nyaatha” was born, and presented a portrait of Mt. Kenya to represent a gift from the people of Kenya.

Kandie said the recent ceremony of beatification of “Nyaatha” has presented an opportunity for Kenya to host pilgrims and noted that linkages between Nyaatha’s motherland and Nyeri where she died will enhance pilgrimage tourism.

The beatification of Sr. Irene Stefani was done on 23rd May 2015 in Nyeri town and brought together thousands of pilgrims from across the world. The Venerable Sr. Irene Stefani (in baptism Aurelia Jacoba Mercede) was born on the 22nd August 1891 at Anfo (Brescia) – Italy.

She travelled to Kenya in 1915 where she worked as a nurse at British military hospitals during WW1. Following the war, she settled in Nyeri, where she became known as “Nyaatha”, meaning “mother of mercy” in the Kikuyu language, where she worked until she died in 1930 at the age of 39.

“We shall be discussing with the County of Nyeri for the possibility of twining the two areas as a launching pad of pilgrimage tourism not only for the two countries but for other pilgrims across the globe,” said Kandie.